Collapsible shipping-package.



D. SHAPIRO. 'COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING PACKAGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.2I, I9I4.

Patented May 25, 1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS CG" PHOm-LHHO WASHINGTUN, D C.

rip.

GOLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING-PACKAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1915.

Application filed December 21, 1914. Serial No. 878,335.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID H. SHAPIRO, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, and resident of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Shipping Packages, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in knock-down shipping packages for clothing and the like, and the object is to provide a simple and convenient shipping package which may be manufactured and sold at less cost than the boxes ordinarily used for such purposes.

A further object is to provide a shipping package which may be stored in knockdown form and erected into operative form 1ronore quickly and easily than many types of A still further object is to provide a ship ping package which will holdthe garments therein in better form and preclude move ment of the garment within the package, which cannot be overcome in the ordinary box without the use of a filling.

Another object is to provide a better proportioned package and one which may be carried much more conveniently than the ordinary box.

Still another object is to provide a package by means of which the garment may be packed in better condition to Withstand transportation without wrinkling or creasing, and at the same time packed more fiuickly than is possible with the ordinary With the foregoing and other objects in view, the device consists essentially of a single sheet of material creased for folding to form a complete inclosure for the con tents having two of its side walls vertical, and the remaining two sides inclined toward one another. The device is provided with interengaging locking means adapted to engage one another, as nearly as possible automatically during folding of the sheet around the article to be packed, so that no unnecessary movements are required.

In the drawing which illustrates the invention :Figure 1 is a plan view of one end of a blank. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a slightly different form. Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of the device as made up in the factory. Fig. 4 is a partial perspective view of the device in knock down form. Fig. 5 is a partial perspective view of the device partially closed. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one end of the device in closed position. 7

It will be understood that there is no preferment between the forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and also that there is no real difference, the distinction between the two bein merely that incident to a slight alteration of proportion. All such distinctions are considered as contemplated in the present invention, and therefore only one has been shown. It must also be understood that the invention is in no way limited to or by the particular arrangement of fastening devices shown, as this arrangement is also largely dependent upon the proportions of the device. As a package for clothing, particularly coats and waists, the device is designed for cooperation with garment forms such as described in my former applications, Ser. Nos. 836,364, 855,875 and 872,381.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 and 2 show fragments of a sheet of material divided by creases 11 into a central or bottom portion 12, a pair of side portions 13, cover portions 14, and end or remaining side portions, 15,16 and 17, connected respectively to the central portion, the side portions and the top portions. The central or bottom portion is rectangular in shape and of suitable proportion, and is connected on two opposite edges with suitably proportioned side portions 13 and on the two opposite remaining edges with the ends or remaining sides 15. Each end 15 has its free edge 18 shorter than the edge in attachment with the bottom portion at the fold and parallel therewith or otherwise, as required by the nature of the article to be packed, and as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2. The two remaining free edges 19 are convergent from the fold toward the edge 18 as shown. but it is obvious that these edges may be divergent or parallel, if the nature of the article to be packed so requires. Each end is also provided with a suitably disposed tongue 20 formed integral therewith. Each of the side portions 13 is provided with an end member 16 having the edge 21 thereof facing the edge '19 of the end portion 15 cut as nearly as practicable at the same angle as the edge 19, but in. the opposite direction. The opposite edge 22 of this end tongue is preferably out in line with the fold between the parts 13 and 14,-while the end edge 23 is cut at the same angle as the end edge 18 but in the Opposite direction. Each tongue 17 has 1ts edge 24 cut at an angle to the edge 22, which approximately quadrisects the angle between.

overlappin relation. Each portion 16 is in addition provided with a crease 27 extending from the intersection of the edges 22 and24: at the same angle as the edge 2 1. The proportion of the side and top portions 13 and 14: obviously depends entirely upon the depth 'of the box and the width of its top.

Wherever possible, the top portions 14 are kept a trifle narrower than the side portions" 13, so that in knock-down condition, the top portions let may be folded on the side portions 13, and the two upon the bottom portion 12. Wherever the box is comparatively shallow, unless the sides are greatly inclined, one'or both of the top portions 14 will be wider than the side portions, as shown in Fig. 1, sothat the double folding in knock down condition ispreeluded. Fig. 2 shows a proportion permitting the double folding. The blank when provided in the factory with stitches 28 passed through the apertures 26, assumes the angular form shown 1n Fig. 2. By means of the folds 27, the end portions 16 and 17 may be folded in upon the portions 13 and 14-, and the portion 1a folded on the portion 13, andif proportion permits, the two portions folded upon the bottom portiomas shown in Fig. 1. This is the condition in which the device leaves the factory, either with or without a garment form, designated 29, held in flat condition on the bottom by the folding in of the ends 15 and sides and top'13 and 14.

In packing a garment such as a coat, the wrapper is open to the position shown in Fig. 3, with the exception that the ends 15 are turned to vertical position. The coat is placed lining up on thewrap'ping sheet, the form- 29 inserted therein, and the coat fold- .ed over the form, the sleeves being folded over the front of the coat. One side and top portion is then brought to the position shown in Fig. 5 with the outer'edge 30 engaging under the tongue 20. The mere movement of the operators fingers in holding the end portion 15 will flex the same sufficiently to throw out the tongue 20 and the end flap 17 will slide under the tongue with the operation of swinging the top and side to closed position. The other side and top portion are now swung into closed position and the of box.

hook 31 slips automatically between the end flaps 16 and 17 of the opposite side and engages under the stitch 28. The closing of the box may be completed by a cord or tape 32 fastened to the bottom or some other suitable part of the box, or separate therefrom.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the package requires considerably less material than the ordinary cardboard box used for packing clothing, and may, therefore, be manufactured and sold at a considerably lower cost than ordinary boxes. The operation of placing a garment in the box is performed in less time than required with the ordinary box, where it is necessary to make up the box and cover, fold the garment, place the same in the box, and then fit the box and cover together. whereas in thepresent device, the making up of the box and folding of the garment therein are almost identical.

It is well known that a garment when folded up either with or without a support ing form is much thicker in the middle, and that therefore when placed in an ordinary box of sufiicient depth, there is much waste space at the long edges of the box in which the garment can move around during transport and thus become wrinkled and out of shape. In the present invention, the sloping sides of the box eliminate this waste space and effectually preclude movement of the garment in the box if mounted on any sort of form, and more especially so if mounted on a convex form, such as described in my former patents previously mentioned. Another advantage is that a package of this form is much easier to carry than the ordinary box, as it will slip under the arm without inconvenience or discomfort. This feature is of considerable importance, as it will insure a certain economy to the user by saving of delivery charges, since many customers in a hurry for the garments will consent to carry such a package, who would not consent to carry the ordinary awkward form A further advantage is that the package may be made much wider than the ordinary box, and still effect considerable saving of material, so that coats and the like may be packed flat without unnatural folds. In short, thevdevice provides economy in cost and time for the user, and retains the contents in much better condition, so that the first impression of the recipient opening the package is favorable.

While the end flaps 16 and 17 have been shown and described permanently stitched together, it is obvious that they may beprovided with any of the well known forms of hook and slot connections, and that the holding means 20 and 3l maybe varied according to circumstances without departing from the spirit of the invention. It will also be understood that although the device has been described only as a wrapper for clothing, it may be constructed in varying sizes, shapes and proportions for packing many other articles which fill only a small part of the boxes in which they are usually packed, such as hats.

I claim- 1. A knock-down box comprising a bottom, ends hingeably connected thereto, compound side and top portions hingeably connected to opposite edges of the bottom, collapsible end flaps connected between the side and top portions normally holding the same in predetermined angular relation, tongues on the ends engageable by the end flaps of one composite side and top portion, and tongues on the end flaps of the second side and top portion engageable between the end flaps of the first side and top portion.

2. A knock-down box, consisting of a bottom, ends, and two cover portions, said cover portions cooperating to form sides and top and being each collapsible upon itself and foldable upon the bottom and collapsible end flaps connected between the side top portions normally holding the same in predetermined angular relation.

3. A container comprising a bottom, hingeably connected ends, sides hingeably connected to the bottom, top members hingeably connected to the sides, end flaps hingeably connected to the sides and to the top members and each having a pair of apertures therein, fastening means inserted through the apertures holding the end flaps in overlapping relation and the side and top members in angular relation, folds in the end flaps of the side members positioned for the collapsing of the' end flaps between the side and top members when folded upon one another, and interlocking means between the ends and end flaps on one side and between the end flaps arranged to hold the package in erected form.

4. A container comprising a bottom, ends hingeably connected thereto, side members hingeably connected to the bottom, a pair of top members one hingeably connected to each side, one of said top members being of less width than the top of the box and the other being of substantially the same width as the top of the box, end flaps on the side members and on the top members, means adapted to hold said end flaps in overlapping relation and the side and top members in predetermined angular relation, tongues on the ends engageable by the end flaps of the narrower top member, and hooks on the end flaps of the wider top member engageable with the end flaps on the opposite side of the package.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID H. SHAPIRO.

Witnesses:

C. W. TAYLOR, G. M. MORELAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. Q. 

